In infusion technology, transfer systems are used for conveying medications into the body of a patient. These transfer systems achieve the transfer of medications in most cases by means of hoses or hose sets and usually have shut-off devices such as roller clamps for interrupting the delivery.
In applications with demands regarding a high dosing accuracy, infusions working solely by gravity are insufficient; this is why infusion pumps are used for administering in particular life-sustaining medications.
In an infusion pump system, precautions have to be taken to avoid—during handling a hose set attached to an infusion pump or upon opening the infusion pump for interrupting the medication delivery—any free-flow situation which is life-threatening for the patient and in which the medication is supplied to the patient in an uncontrolled manner and without any dosage particularly by gravity.